Where there is light, there is Shadow
by hoom
Summary: As the fellowship travels through the long dark of Moria, the lack of sunlight and fresh air begins to get to them. Patience runs short, angers flare, and the hobbits strive to amuse themselves, all the while trying to pass through in secret.
1. One Moody Hobbit

Where there is light, there is shadow

**Where there is Light, There is Shadow**

Ok, I was reading over my older stuff, and I realized that it was in _desperate_ need of a revision. Seeing as I have definitely improved since I first posted this story (and that's not bragging, I would be hard not to improve), I have decided to go back and fix it up. Yeah, I got rid of chapter 1, or the prologue, seeing as it wasn't entirely necessary, and added some new stuff as well as keep the good stuff from the original. So yeah, here's the long overdue revision of my first fanfic.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own LOTR or any work that J.R.R.Tolkien created. I'm doing this solely for my own amusement.

**Chapter One: One Moody Hobbit**

Frodo moodily walked through the dark, dank passages of Moria, thinking over what had brought him to this current position. He was interrupted by the ring's sad attempt to corrupt his mind.

''_Kill, kill, kill, KILL, KILL, __**KILL, KILL, KILL, KILL!!'**_

"Oh shut up!" Frodo said wearily getting confused glances from the others. "Sorry...umm…not directed at you…" he said sheepishly. The confused glances upgraded to full fledged stares.

"Oh my, it's finally happened." Pippin whispered "Frodo has officially cracked." Merry and Pippin burst out laughing, both receiving a sharp _thwack _from Gandalf's staff.

"Everyone keep moving! Frodo, a word please?" The wizard asked.

Frodo sighed and moved to join the wizard at the front of their party. Gandalf motioned for them to continue. "I assume that the ring was the reason for your little, ah, moody outburst?" He asked.

"MOODY OUTBURST!?" Frodo exclaimed "Whoever said anything about moody outbursts?! I'M not moody, AT ALL! Nope, not me! If YOUR looking for MOODY, YOU'RE going to have to look ELSEWHERE, because we're all out of stock! Maybe you should try AGAIN in a few days, because YOU NEVER KNOW! We just MIGHT be getting a SURPRISE SHIPMENT!" Ranted Frodo.

"Ahem" Gandalf coughed, raising an eyebrow.

'Oh… I guess I am moody then." Frodo realized. "Well, it's been nice talking to you,"

"Glad to help." Said the Wizard, feeling slightly confused, but quite pleased with himself.

The fellowship moved on, and Frodo found himself staring at Gandalf's staff, bobbing up and down and up and down and up and down. So mesmerized wad he, that he failed to notice the staff suddenly stop, and he smacked right into the wizard.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, or tried to, as just then Sam walked into him followed by Legolas, Gimli, Merry, Pippin, Borromir, and Aragorn, who all went down in a heap.

There was a lot of muttering, and cursing as the fellowship all got off the floor. "FOOL OF A TOOK!" was all that Gandalf would say. Frodo sighed again. It was going to be a long day.

Well, hope you enjoyed!

hoom


	2. Sam's Special soup

**Where there is light, there is shadow: Sam's "Special" soup (Chapter Three)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, as much as it pains me to say it.**

In the darkness, it watched its prey, waiting; waiting for it to let its guard down, then it would strike. Oh, yes, this thing, this Halfling, had something it wanted, something it longed for, something it needed. Yessss, it's precious. Deming the time was right, it attacked.

"Blah!" Cried Frodo, as a dark shape slammed into him. "It's ours it is! It came to us!" The thing hissed at him.

"Pippin," groaned Frodo "Look, if you wanted the soup, you can have it, I'm not hungry.' He said, as Pippin, immediately quit poking Frodo, and with a wild cry, attacked what was left of Frodo's dinner. "SOUP!" Merry quickly joined him, and soon they where both slurping away happily. "Hobbits." Mumbled Gandalf, before returning to his meal, and shooting odd glances at everyone, and muttering under his breath.

The fellowship had stopped for the night, and Gandalf had allowed a fire, despite the danger. "Man, this soup is awesome Sammie!"Gimli said loudly "what's in it?" he asked, a odd smile on his face. "Oh, you know this and that, and that and this, and some ale.' Sam finished, grinning as the soup begin to effect the dwarf

"OMG!" Merry yelled, 'It's Sam's Special soup!" Sam's "special" soup was legendary back in the Shire, and it consisted of large amounts of ale. Sam nodded slyly at Merry, who winked back obviously.

"Special soup?" Inquired Legolas. "Ale?' Asked Aragorn. "Sam?" Borromir asked thoroughly confused. Gimli suppressed a hiccup. All four of the hobbits fell to the floor and rolled around laughing. "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA, look at them!" Pippin laughed, clutching his stomach "It looks like Sam's soup is too strong for the big folk! He managed to gasp out before erupting in another fit of laughter.

"Alright, alright, cut it out!" Gandalf said sternly to the hobbits. "You've had you're fun, now be quite! I'm feeling a bit woozy so –!" But that was too much for the hobbits. "Gandalf said- hahaha-WOOZY!" Merry blurted out. "I'm not gonna forget this, you know." Laughed Frodo. "I mean, GANDALF, of all people, said woozy!" The hobbits laughed with renewed vigor.

"Oh, BE SILENT!" Said Gandalf, angrily trying to stop blushing. "Why Gandalf, I do believe you're blushing." Said Legolas with a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Whose side are you on?" Gandalf asked the elf furiously. Legolas grinned evilly at Gandalf, and walked over to his bedroll.

Meanwhile, Gimli was ranting on about maps and Treasure, Aragorn was noticing how beautiful everything was, and Borromir was flexing his biceps. "Now really everyone, this has gone far enough." Gandalf tried again. The hobbits laughed on, Gimli ignored him, Aragorn gave the wizard a smile, and Borromir glared at the wizard flexing his biceps. Legolas loudly announced he was going to bed, and gave Gandalf another evil grin.

Gandalf sat down miserably, trying his new way of getting over things. Blame it on Pippin. "Foolish hobbit" he mumbled "This is all his doing." he decided. Feeling better, the wizard went to sleep with the comforting thought of the huge hangover he would have the next day.

**Sorry I'm slow with the updating, I'm getting over a writer's block at the moment.**

**Thank you for the review ovoriel! I hope this chapter explained why Gandalf was blaming Pippin**

**So please R&R (all reviews will be drooled over) :D**


	3. Pippin and the well

**Where there is light, there is Shadow Chapter 4: Pippin and the well**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, as much as it pains me to say it.**

Pippin couldn't sleep. That was strange, he thought, for by all rights he should be tired out. He had woken up to a hangover from Sam's soup, but his was nothing compared to the big people's hangovers. Legolas had lost his usual grace, and he had been groaning and stumbling over everything, while Boromir and Aragorn had both had terrible headaches. Gimli had resigned to mumbling under his breath, but it was the Wizard that had been the most distraught.

All day he had been complaining and had seamed to think this was all Pippins' fault. As much as Pippin and the other hobbits had tried, Gandalf would only blame the youngest hobbit. 'Ah yes,' Pippin thought to himself, 'I have never been a fool of a Took so many times in one day'.

Sam had insisted that it was his idea to make the soup, and Merry had said it was he who had supplied the 'main ingredients' and even Frodo said he should have warned the fellowship, but only Pippin was rewarded with a whack-on-the-head-with-a-staff. So all in all, he had no idea why he hadn't fallen asleep.

He tiredly sat up and yawned, looking around, and found his eyes dragged back the well. How it intrigued him. So dark, cold, and ever so frightening. His hobbit eyes quickly found the watch, it was Gimli, who had by the looks of it, had almost fallen asleep. Almost against his will, Pippin felt himself slowly crawling towards the well.

He was almost there when it happened. A large head emerged from the well. It had huge, luminous eyes, grayish skin, hollow cheeks, and a few strands of lanky hair. Pippin watched in horror as the thing crawled out of the well, and stood perched on the edge, crouched and ready to pounce. It was rocking back and forth, hissing softy to itself, and seamed to be looking for something. Then it stopped rocking and grew quiet, its eyes fixed on the sleeping form of the ring bearer. A heartbeat later, it pounced.

Gollum's pounce (for that was who that creature was, supposing you didn't already guess that) was straight, and true, but he did not expect a small, angry, Halfling, to grab his ankles, and yank him away from his prey. He had been_ sooo close,_ so close to his precious, but now to deal with the other.

Pippin franticly pulled Gollum away from the sleeping ring bearer, trying to keep his hold on the creature's ankles, as it wriggled in his grasp. Suddenly, Gollum twisted around and started clawing at Pippin's hands. Pippin let go, with a sharp intake of breath, and then he was down.

Gollum and Pippin wrestled with each other, Pippin trying to get at as much of the other's body as possible, and Gollum trying to get a firm hold on the Halfling's neck.

Gollum then changed his tactics, and Pippin suddenly found Gollum on top of him, pinning his hands to the floor. Then, Gollum lunged for his neck with is mouth, his teeth sharp and deadly.

Pippin twisted in his grasp, drew up his legs, and with both feet delivered a powerful kick to his stomach. Gollum's grip on his wrists was loosened, and Gollum fell back, anger smoldering in his eyes.

They circled each other, and then Gollum started forwards, then quickly drew back, startling the young hobbit, who had struck out where Gollum had a second ago. Gollum then ducked under the Halflings arm, and made a grab for his neck. But Pippin was ready for him.

He ducked, and threw himself at Gollum's feet, knocking him over. Gollum landed with a soft thud, the air knocked out of him, as Pippin struggled to reach his sword. Then, things got serious.

Gollum flailed out with his legs, and landed Pippin a kick in the stomach, making the hobbit automatically drop his sword, and clutch his stomach in pain. Then Gollum jumped on the hobbit, rolled him on his face and sat on him. Pippin struggled, but Gollum was too strong.

He had to think of something, Pippin thought to himself, and quick! Gollum's long arm was reaching out to where he had dropped his sword, a look of uttermost concentration on his lean features. Looking around Pippin saw there was nothing in his reach, or was there? Pippin smiled to himself at what Gollum had so graciously provided him with, and grabbed Gollum's arm, biting down as hard as he could.

So focused Gollum had been he had not noticed that while trying to reach the sword, his arm had been right beside the Halfling's head. As his arm was yanked away and bitten, Gollum's reflexes made his arm jerk back, elbowing Pippin in the face.

Pippin's face scrunched up in pain, but he still managed to get Gollum off by rolling to the side, now that Gollum had slightly slipped to the floor. Pippin grabbed his sword up, and seeing as Gollum had regained his composure, they went back to circling each other.

Gollum's eyes were on the Halfling sword. He was now facing a small, but angry Halfling, who had been much more resourceful then he had expected. The Halfling was also armed, and he was not so, but Gollum's musings were interrupted by the Halfling charging him. Gollum quickly decided to run for it, but the hobbit had other plans.

As Pippin circled Gollum he made sure that Gollum's back was to the well before he attacked. This thing wasn't about to get at Frodo or the ring while he was around. And he certainly wouldn't let him get Merry either. Or Sam. Or well, any of the fellowship. But maybe Gandalf. Pippin smiled, nah, Gandalf's alright. He's just old.

Pippin jumped at Gollum, who backed away, unconsciously moving closer to the well. Pippin kept advancing until Gollum was almost at the very edge, and then he lunged forward, and pushed him. Gollum fell backwards down the well, with a look of uttermost confusion and anger, as he slowly became lost to sight.

During the whole fight, neither Gollum nor Pippin made a single sound.

Pippin sighed in exhaustion, surprised that nobody was awakened by his silent, frantic struggle with Gollum. He sank down next to the well, his former fear of it forgotten, as he wondered what happened to Gollum. He knew it was Gollum, now that he thought of it. He fit Bilbo's description perfectly, and just the other day he had "accidentally' overheard Gandalf telling Aragorn that Gollum was following them. 'Well', he slyly thought, 'he won't be following us for quite some time."

Pippin decided to tell everyone what had happened in the morning, and was just getting up to go to his bedroll, when his foot lightly brushed a pebble. Some people say the dropping of a small stone into a pond may seam small and insignificant, but that pebble will make ripples, and those ripples will ripple all over the place until the whole pond it moving from the force of just one small stone. It shows how one person can do one small, little thing, and affect thousands of others. Pippin's pebble however, was quite different, seeing as it fell down an old dried-up, deprived of all liquid, well, which didn't make any ripples, but did affect hundreds of people all the same. As it fell, it merrily bounced off the sides of the well, echoing loudly, and making an eerie sound as it hit the still, falling Gollum on the head.

This of course managed to wake **everyone** up, and Gandalf Didn't even let him explain.

"**FOOL OF A _TOOK!_**" was heard from the wizard, who was smoldering in anger, "WHY-CAN'T-YOU-JUST-BE-QUIET?" He thundered, with each word he delivered a blow to Pippin's head with his staff.

Merry threw himself in front of Pippin as the others tried to restrain him. "Gandalf, I'm sure it was an accident, and he didn't do it on purpose!" said Merry, defending his cousin, and getting a few good whacks to the head as well.

"Restrain yourself, Gandalf!" Aragorn cried, as he and Boromir pulled him away from the Halflings.

A few minute later, Gandalf was sitting in the corner having some quite time, and muttering, while Pippin was retelling everything that had happened to him, and how nobody seamed to notice. Aragon had inspected the area, and had witnessed the signs of battle for himself.

Gandalf slowly got up and walked towards the smallest hobbit. "Pippin, I think I owe you an apology." Gandalf said, looking at his feet. "Apology accepted!" said Pippin as he hugged the wizard. Everyone all said "_awwww"_ at the same time, until Pippin broke the silence. 'It's not your fault. You're just old."

_Thwack!_

**Sorry about the wait again. I was running out of Idea's. Thanks for the review/s!**

**Keep them coming:D**


	4. Dark Thoughts

Where There is Light, There is Shadow Chapter 5:

Where There is Light, There is Shadow Chapter 5: Dark Thoughts

Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, as much as I wish it otherwise.

Yeah, I really don't have much of an excuse for not updating. Feel free to throw all sorts of fun and creative things at me. Like rotten old pears, or eggs that have been out in the sun too long. You know, when they start to smell? I'm not really sure how much longer this particular story will go on, but it doesn't really have _too_ much of a plot, so I'll just update whenever I get some random inspiration. Enjoy :)

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"Hey Merry, Guess what I can do!"

"I don't wanna know, Pip!"

There was a grown form the whole Fellowship as Pippin's words cut through the surrounding dark. They had been traveling through this mine for several days now, and the lack of light was getting to them.

"Ugh, Pip, get your fist out of your mouth."

The only light that they could see was the small bit that radiated out from Gandalf's staff, practically blinding anyone who tried to look directly at it. Everything else was still intensely dark, and they could hardly see one another. They had been walking for quite some time now, so when Gandalf unexpectedly stopped, everyone crashed into everyone else, falling in extremely awkward positions.

"Ooof!"

"WHAA!! Get your hand off of my-!"

"Aww man, that _was_ my ribcage you-!"

"Merry! Get your foot out of my face!"

"GAAK! Gimli, get off my chest, I can't breath!"

"Stop pulling on my-!"

"I think I just broke my-."

"Whose leg is this!?"

"Ok, _who_ just bit me!? Who the _hell _just bit me!?"

"ARGH!!" And then Gandalf was up, staff radiating light once more, on what looked like a slightly deformed version of 'Twister.' Everyone hastily got off each other, seeing what they looked like. There were a few embarrassed apologies, but mostly grumbling and the hugging of bruised limbs.

"Next time you're going to stop, _say something first_, will you?" Strider said, clutching his ribcage.

Gandalf chose to ignore him. "We have a bit of a dilemma." He said, fixing his wild hair with as much dignity as he could muster." You see, I really can't remember the correct pathway." said the wizard, pointing to the three separate passageways.

"Aww, just _great._"

"Fantastic."

"Just what I wanted, _Indecision_!"

The wizard slowly turned around, eyes blazing, and glared down at the hobbits, silencing Merry and Pippin.

"Some cooperation would be _helpful_." He said, voice strained with suppressed anger. Strider quickly moved over to him, and they began to whisper to each other, with lots of gesturing towards the openings.

After a while, they signaled Gimli to come over and join them. More frantic gesturing. The others sat on the floor, or on some old rocks lying around, while the minutes ticked by.

Frodo tried to suppress a giggle. The others looked at him questionably.

"Ah, well-" he said, slightly embarrassed, "It's…just a thought really, rather silly, but umm…" he gestured over to their whispering companions. "What if they were all talking about _us_?"

"_Wha_-?" His fellow companions looked at him in confusion.

"You know, making it look like they had some things to discuss when really they were all just gossiping, or saying things about us" Every head slowly turned towards the small group.

"Well, now, I don't think they would do that Sir…" But even Sam sounded doubtful. Suddenly Strider glanced their way, and then hastily turned back again, finding all eyes on him.

"Oh! What was that!?"

"Looked pretty suspicious to me."

A little while later, Gandalf looked back at them, quickly averting his eyes.

"Wait, are they…?" Boromir was beginning to have doubts too.

Then all three of them tried to unobtrusively glance back, and hastily reformed their huddle when discovering they were being observed.

"…No way…" Even Legolas was getting suspicious.

"Ummm, Legolas…?" Merry said slyly. The elf glanced down at the hobbit questionably.  
"Can you make out what they're saying…?"

"Merry!" Frodo said, trying to sound admonished. "Don't make Legolas do that!"

The elf sat in thought, then, to everyone's surprise, he slowly inched forwards to the group. When he was close enough he stopped, closing his eyes in concentration to better hear them. They all sat in anticipated silence for a few moments, when suddenly Legolas's eyes widened in surprise.

"I don't believe that!"

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"Ahhh, why are they all staring at us?" Gandalf and Gimli stopped talking and looked at the ranger.

"Who is staring at us?" Gandalf inquired. Strider nodded his head at the rest of the fellowship. Gandalf took a quick glance, then turned back, clearly surprised to see everyone looking at them.

"I haven't the slightest idea."

"They're staring at us?" Gimli asked. All three turned, and briefly met the eyes of the other group. There was a rustle of activity from both groups, as they all met back to discuss.

"What do you think they're doing?" Inquired the dwarf, beginning to feel uncomfortable. "They're talking to each other and all throwing suspicious glances our way…"

"Do you think they're talking…about us?" Strider said, almost nervously. They risked a quick glance, to find that the other members had moved closer together, whispering and pointing at them. To his dismay, Aragorn realized that Legolas was slowly shifting closer to the three.

"Look at them…" Gimli started, "What do you suppose they're saying?"

"Whatever it is… I'm not too sure it's friendly." Strider said, feeling quite uncomfortable.

"I bet it's that Took again," Gandalf said under his breath, "Or maybe Meriadoc…one of them must have started it."

"I don't know…it might just as well been Boromir, with his war mongering and all…"

"Well, Boromir may be more aggressive, but I don't know about _war mongering._ Could it have been Legolas…or one of the other two hobbits?"

"Well it obviously was one of them, but which?"

"_Ahem!"_ Strider loudly cleared his throat, and slightly inched his head behind him. Gandalf and Gimli peered over his shoulder and saw Legolas leaning slightly towards them, a little bit away from the others. They each changed glances with each other.

"Well," Gandalf started, a little louder than usual. "It could be the pathway on the right, it seams to start off at the correct leveling we're looking for." Gimli and Strider nodded vigorously in agreement. A quick glance over his shoulder showed the elf back with the others, talking rapidly. He breathed a sigh of relief.

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"They saw me listening in and changed the subject, but I did manage to hear a few words of their conversation." Said the elf to Boromir and the hobbits.

"And, were they…" Merry inquired.

"Well, I only managed to catch a few words, but from what I heard…" They all stared at the elf, tense with anticipation. "Well, I cannot be certain, but I did hear a few names get tossed around."

Just then the smaller group broke apart, and the three walked over to where they were sitting. Gandalf addressed them. "I have no memory of this place, and none of us can decide on the correct path. Seeing as we cannot sit and _talk,_" he said, putting emphasis on the _talk_, "All day, there is a proposal we have for you."

"Oh no." Said Frodo in despair, "We're going to have to split up and search all three."

The wizard's eyes widened in surprise, "Yes, how did you guess." He said, eyes drifting over to Legolas suspiciously.

Frodo took no notice, "It's what _always_ happens!" He said darkly, "A large group decides to split up, they get cut off from each other. And that's when people start dying."

"Dying!?" The other three hobbits said in union.

"I see it all the time in books and tales, it's the perfect opportunity. It allows the predator to slowly pick its prey off one by one, alone in the dark, where no one is close enough to hear them scream, or it uses their dying cries to bring more for the feed."

"Wow. _What_ have you been reading?" Strider said in wonder.

"Mr. Gandalf sir, I don't really like the sound of this 'splitting up' business." Sam said, clearly worried.

"Or any of this, 'no one to hear you scream' type thing." Pippin put in.

"Oh come now," Gandalf said, "You can read a good many thing in a book, but that doesn't mean it's always bound to happen."

"Besides, that sounded more like your usual horror type book, the whole predator-prey thing going on with the whole group. This is more…" Strider suddenly trailer off, stopping himself.

"What?" Said Pippin.

"Oh!" Merry said, eyes lighting up, "In this case the predators not after everyone," he said, oblivious to the big folk's hushing noises, "It's only hunting Frodo."

"_Mr. Merry!"_ Sam reached across and waked him on the head.

"Oh, I'm so sorry cousin!" The young Brandybuck said apologetically, turning a bright shade of red.

"Thanks Mer." Said Frodo, shifting unconsciously closer to Sam. He sighed. "No really, it's all right."

"We'll have to split into groups of three" continued Gandalf, "Aragorn, Gimli and myself-." He was cut off by various protests.

"No way! Not the three of you together!"

"Now that's just asking for trouble."

"Not all in the same group!"

The suspicions from earlier had not been forgotten. Gandalf loudly cleared his throat. "_Ahem! _As I was saying, Aragorn, Gimli and I will be in one of each of the three groups, seeing as both Strider and I have been to the mines before, and Gimli obviously knows more about Dwarves than the rest of you."

There was a collective "_Ooohhhhh."_ From the others. "Now than," Gandalf went on, "There shall be three groups, one for each doorway. Each group will move forward for a predetermined amount of time, before heading back. We shall all meet back in this room, and determine what pathway is the correct one. Understood." They all nodded. "Now just to determine the groups..."

Gimli, Pippin, and Boromir, got the tunnel on the right. Gandalf, Merry, and Legolas had the tunnel on the left. And lastly, Strider, Frodo, and Sam were assigned the middle tunnel. They all said their farewells, and departed down their respective paths into the gloom.

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Seeing as this is a bit of a cliffy, or well, it sets you up for the next chapter, I will try to update within the week. And I don't have any excuse not to, I'm off school and I have no life what-so-ever! Well, thank you anyways for bothering to read this story. I sincerely hope it wasn't a waste of your time! **:S **

hoom


	5. Falling Appart

**Where there is Light There is Shadow**

**Chapter 6: Falling Apart.**

**Disclaimer: What? Do I look like Tolkien or something?! I do not own the Lord of the Rings or any other of Tolkien's works or characters.**

**Ok, that was totally over a week between updates. Slaps self twice _simpleminded!!_**

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_**Passage to the right**  
_

Pippin, Gimli and Boromir walked along the passage to the right. Not much was happening. It just seamed to go on and on. Pippin sighed in boredom, wondering what was happening in the other passageways.

_**Passage to the left**_

Merry, Gandalf and Legolas trekked along the tunnel to the left, noticing the slightly downwards curve it was taking. They all walked along in silence.

"Well…" Merry started, but then stopped, realizing he had nothing else to say. He sighed. Wow, this was boring. What was going on with the others?

_**Passage to the middle**_

Strider, Frodo and Sam slumped down the dark path, their enthusiasm reaching its lowest ebb. They had been going on for a while, and absolutely nothing had happened. Frodo figured the menacing evil was hiding, waiting to ambush them whenever it was most convenient. As unnerving as this thought was, the hobbit couldn't help but wish it would just hurry it up already. At lest then _something_would be happening. Frodo heard Sam sigh ahead of him. His shoulders drooped in defeat. He hoped that the others were having a better time.

_**Passage to the right**_

Pippin groaned. Boromir and Gimli turned to look at him.

"What?" Pippin said irritably.

Boromir and Gimli exchanged a glance. "Nothing." Boromir said, and the two turned back around.

_**Passage to the left**_

"Hmm?" said Gandalf.

"What?" asked Merry, as Legolas looked quizzically at the wizard.

"Didn't you say something Meriadoc?" Gandalf asked.

"Ehh…I said '_well'_ a while back._'_'

_**Passage to the middle**_

"Strider?" asked Frodo.

"Yes Frodo." said Strider.

"How much longer until we get to turn back?" Frodo inquired. Sam's ears perked up at this.

"Another couple of hours." responded the Ranger.

"Oh." Said Frodo.

_**Passage to the right**_

"Gimli, do you know where in the mines we are?" asked Boromir.

"…Not really."

_**Passage to the left**_

"And what did you mean by your '_well' _Merry?" Gandalf asked.

"…Nothing really."

"Nothing?" prodded the wizard.

"Yeah…_nothing_."

_**Passage to the middle**_

"You know, when you think of an _adventure-_,"

"_Nnnoooooo_." groaned Strider, cutting Sam off, and putting a hand to his head. Frodo tried with little luck to suppress a giggle. Sam glanced back at Frodo, raising his eyebrows in mock admonishment. That set them both off. Strider shook his head. This was really getting to them.

_**Passage to the right**_

"You know what we should do?" said Pippin suddenly. Boromir and Gimli glanced back.

"We should sing something!"

_**Passage to the left**_

"Look, I was going to say something, but then I couldn't think of anything to say." Merry explained.

"Then why did you say '_well_' if you didn't have anything to say?"

"I don't know! I thought maybe something would come to me if I started!" said the exasperated hobbit.

"Look," began Legolas, cutting Gandalf off, "He didn't mean anything by it, he just said it, and realized that was all he had to say."

_**Passage to the middle**_

"_Ha, ha, ha, ha_, Strider?" said Frodo, all traces of mirth suddenly gone from his voice, "How much longer now?"

"About three more hours." answered Strider, slightly taken aback at the hobbit's sudden change in mood.

"Great."

_**Passage to the right**_

Pippin's suggestion was greeted with silence. Boromir and Gimli tried to pretend they hadn't heard the suggestion.

"Either of you know any songs?" asked Pippin. More silence. "Well, _I _know a few good _drinking_ ones!"

_**Passage to the left**_

"But why would he even say-!"

"Shh!!" said Legolas urgently. His keen eyes tried to pierce through the darkness around them.

"What is it?" whispered Merry, hand going to his sword hilt.

_**Passage to the middle**_

"Ah, Mr. Strider sir?" said Sam, uneasily. Strider and Frodo turned to look at Sam, alarmed by his tone of voice.

"I think…"

_**Passage to the right**_

'_Workin all day, n' sleepin all night_

_I got no pay, I got no rights'_

Boromir and Gimli tried their very best to be completely oblivious to the Took's little song, as they continued their trek.

_**Passage to the left**_

"I just heard…_there's another_!" whispered the elf.

"What is it?" asked Merry, looking around fearfully.

_**Passage to the middle**_

"There's something…" the two hobbits and the ranger all strained their ears for approaching signs of danger. Aragorn loosened his throwing knives, while Frodo and Sam went back to back, drawing their swords.

_**Passage to the right**_

'_Work, work, work, work, that's my life,_

_I'll drink till morning light!'_

_**Passage to the left**_

"Orcs!" hissed Legolas. The elf, hobbit and wizard quickly formed a tight circle, drawing weapons in anticipation.

_**Passage to the middle**_

Frodo gasped, "Orcs!" staring at the bright blue glow coming off of sting.

"But from where?!" growled Strider, trying to locate their direction.

_**Passage to the right**_

'_Drink, drink, a barrel of ale,_

_Drinkin all my troubles away!'_

_**Passage to the left**_

The orcs were close now, and it didn't take the enhanced hearing of the hobbit or elf to hear their harsh voices coming closer from behind them. Legolas strung his bow, arrow notched, calculating how long it would be until the orcs were upon them. Not long.

_**Passage to the middle**_

Loud footsteps echoing throughout the tunnel, the orcs were getting nearer by the moment. Frodo took deep breaths, trying to steady himself for the fight, as Sam grimly tightened his grip on his sword. Strider had located the orcs as behind them, coming up the passage they had just passed.

_**Passage to the right**_

'_Drink, drink, then in the pail,_

_No matter if it's sun or hail!'_

There were two groans of protest.

_**Passage to the left**_

Suddenly the orcs came into view, and with a gnarled cry, the first one jumped strait at Merry. The hobbit screamed just as Legolas' arrow took it through the throat. Then up came Gandalf, wielding staff and sword, twirling around and around, creating a mini whirl wind of death. Merry and Legolas jumped out of his way, as he began to pick up speed.

"Hurry!" Gandalf cried, robes flying "Keep going down the passage!"

_**Passage to the middle**_

An orc lunged out of nowhere, and Frodo just barely managed to keep his arm firmly attached to his body by throwing himself to the left. There was a shrill shriek as the creature was impaled by Sam's sword. Strider slashed his way in front of both hobbits, hands a blur as he fought off the hoards with both sword and knife.

"Frodo, Sam! Get further up the passage!" He cried, slicing and dicing orcs left, right and center.

"Time to fly!" Sam said, pulling Frodo to his feet, "Strider's got this covered, we'd just be in his way!" he said, cutting off Frodo's protest.

_**Passage to the right**_

'_Workin all day, sleepin all night,_

_I got no pay, I got no rights!'_

_**Passage to the left**_

Even as Merry and Legolas backed up, the elf's sensitive ears picked up a groaning sound. His eyes widened in surprise, then in shock as it became more of a chipping, breaking sound. As realization dawned upon the elf, he quickly grabbed Merry, and flung himself as far forwards as he could, just as the floor underneath them gave away.

_**Passage to the middle**_

Frodo and Sam were hardly a few steps behind Strider when an orc managed to break past the ranger. It made a wide swipe at Sam, who ducked, avoiding the blow. Frodo struck out at it with cry, managing to slice along its ribcage. The orc hissed in furry, fixing its eyes on Frodo. Sam suddenly heard a loud cracking sound from behind, and felt the ground beneath his feet begin to dip. Eyes widening in realization, he pushed Frodo behind him as the ground gave away.

_**Passage to the right**_

'_Work, work, work, work, that's my life,_

_I'll drink till morning light!_

_**Passage to the left**_

Legolas choked on the dust and grime, trying to see through it.

"Gandalf!" He cried, making out the huge gap in the floor where moment ago he had been fighting. There was a course of loud harsh laughter, and as the dust settled, Legolas saw most of the orcs on the other side of the gap, all laughing uproariously. Gandalf had fallen down the hole.

_**Passage to the middle**_

Frodo hit the floor with a thud, Sam's push having sent him quite a few feet back. He watched in horror as the ground crumbled and gave way. "SAM!" he cried, as everything was evolved in a huge cloud of dust and grime.

_**Passage to the right**_

'_Hey!'_Pippin finished with a flourish. Gimli and Boromir breathed sighs of relief; it was over!

"That was _fun!_" The tween said, practically skipping behind them. "_Let's sing it again!!"_

"_NOOOOOOOOOO!!"_

* * *

**Ha, ha, ha, ha!! A cliffy! An actually cliffy! Well, we just have to tally up the damage then, hehehehe. I'm not too sure as to how many more chapters this is going to have. It could go on for a long time. Well, seeing as I'm not the most consistent person, I should probably just cut it up into smaller bits, and make the rest it's sequels or whatnots. Well, I hope you enjoyed!**

**Ho****om**

**p.s. Pippin's drinking song goes to the tune of "I've got no strings." see Disney's 'Pinocchio' for more information.**


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